“Nathan Patterson is at the age where you have to be playing football” | OneFootball

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Jordan Pickford and Nathan Patterson react during a match between Everton and Leeds United at Hill Dickinson Stadium in January 2026

(Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images)

Everton right back Nathan Patterson could ‘reignite’ his career by returning to Rangers, according to former Manchester City striker Paul Dickov.

Patterson, who is now 24, has only made three Premier League starts all season as David Moyes replicates the treatment he has received under previous Everton managers since arriving at the club after a strangely over-valued £11M transfer from Rangers in January 2021.

Dickov believes Patterson could be a natural replacement for departing captain James Tavernier and that the familiar ‘surroundings’ of Glasgow can help his career get back on track.

“Nathan Patterson is at the age where you have to be playing football.

"He’s had some unfortunate injuries, but now that he’s back, he needs game time. There’s no doubting his ability, he’s a top young defender, and a move back to Rangers would be good for him.

"If he’s available, I’m sure there’ll be plenty of clubs interested in him. But I think a move back to Rangers where he’s comfortable and in surroundings he knows, could reignite his career.”

Back in March, Patterson said he spoke to Moyes about his lack of playing time:

“I know I’m fully fit and ready to play. Hopefully I can get some minutes. Obviously you want to play as much as you can but it's not really up to me, I can only do what I can on the pitch. That’s a discussion for myself and the manager to have [on his future]."

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Although I don't see Paterson train, the fact that we have a natural right-back and Moyes insists on playing a central defender there really gripes with me. Paterson filled in wonderfully against Forest when Everton won 2-1. His lack of game time since is perplexing.

A combination of Keane or Tarkowski with O'Brien at centre-back, with Paterson on the right wing, might have brought better results than the dismal run we are in. It could've cost us European places, such are the goals Everton have been conceding late in the game.

John Collins 4 Posted 14/05/2026 at 10:25:35

You will be able to judge Patterson's quality by the clubs that come in for him.

Patterson isn't good enough for the Premier League. O'Brien is good enough, but not at full-back. Coleman's non-playing status is a joke.

Garner is, by a country mile, the best right-back at the club. I'm not wholly convinced he is currently needed more in midfield.

Garner at right-back for the last couple of games would be my preference. Moyes will continue with the same back four.

Had we bought a competent, fit right-back last Summer, we would have already qualified for European football.

Instead, we approached the summer transfer window like complete amateurs and collected players we didn't need and that the manager won't play.

I expect more of the same this Summer and it wouldn't surprise me in the least if O'Brien is still considered a right-back option next season.

I think Patterson's big problem when he's playing, is his awareness and concentration, he can be caught completely out of position, but maybe not getting a run of games, he didn't get a chance to iron it out. I still think Moyes should have started him in the last few games and put O'Brien centreback, we got 2pts in the last four games and that's what infuriates me about Moyesm his stubbornness and conservative decisions. My biggest gripe over Patterson, is how the hell did Benitez sign a player, who played 3 Scottish league games for Rangers, and they had no reserve team, did he even see him play?

Stop it Christy. Patterson had been on Everton’s radar, from at least the summer before, and Rafa Benitez, was already well away from our club, before Patterson, played a first team game.

We signed a player on loan from Villa, who never played, who was connected to the Iranian agent, who was allegedly close to Moshiri, at the time, and the club was starting a real downward spiral, which we were very lucky to survive.

Benitez, was the manager, but nobody can be sure who gave these deals the green light, although it was claimed that Bill Kenwright, was a pleasure to deal with by Glasgow Rangers, and when Lampard, took over Everton, in the same month, that Nathan Patterson joined, the Tottenham chairman Levy, orchestrated a great deal for his club, by offloading Deli Ali, after a lovely meal with Bill.

The different manager’s and the different directors of football, never seemed to be aligned during the Moshiri era, and looking at our recruitment last summer, I have a similar feeling about the way we are operating now.